What is Ablenkung? It's a German word meaning "distraction" (or "deflection") - a crafty tactical maneuver where one piece lures the opponent into a fatal mistake, revealing the inherent - though often difficult to detect - weakness in his position.
In this video I look at how Ablenkung could have turned a drawn game into a victory in a 1969 encounter between German International Master, Rudolf Teschner, and Hungarian Grandmaster, Lajos Portisch, in Monaco.
The Setup: A French Defence Turns Tricky
The game begins with 1. e4, developing into the French Defence: Advance Variation. By move 28, the position appears balanced, heading toward a draw. However, a critical moment arises when Teschner (White), spotting an apparently "free" pawn on d5, seizes it. This, as it turns out, could have been a fatal error, an opportunity for Portisch to unleash a brilliant "Ablenkung" - had he spotted it! However, he missed it and the game petered out into a draw.
29: Rxd5 ? Qa6 - misses the "Ablenkung"!
Here is the game:
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1113430
What could Portisch have done differently?
The key lies in a bold and unexpected queen move diagonally down the board to f2!! - a move so audacious it seems suicidal. Yet, this apparent "blunder" is the very essence of "Ablenkung."
Here’s how it works:
Queen Sacrifice: Black's queen moves to f2, tempting White's e2 rook to capture.
Rook Descends: If White takes the queen with the rook, Black's rook on e8 swoops down to e1, delivering a check that leads to checkmate if White does not immediately resign.
Knight’s Defence Fails: Even if White retreats the f5 knight to g3 to protect the f1, Black’s queen can check on e1 forcing White to exchange pieces and ensuring a checkmate sequence.
- ... Qf2!!
- Ng3 Qe1+!!
- Rxe1 Rxe1+
- Nf1 Rxf1#
Ah, the art of "Ablenkung" - so subtle that even a Grandmaster can miss it!
In the Year of the Serpent, be ye wise as serpents. ⚕
Cheers!
David Hurley
#PubChessBluffer